There is always something special about a walk off win.

A walk off homer, field goal, buzzer beater or any other play to finish off a victory is always memorable.

Preston Cole produced one of those special moments when he hit his second shot in the cup on the final hole to win the National Car Rental PGA Assistants’ Championship.

Cole used a pitching wedge to cover the final 124 yards on the 18th hole on the PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Fl.

The former Furman golfer had a two shot lead when his second shot on the final hole found the hole.

“I knew I hit it good, but I didn’t see it go in,” said Cole. “If the people around the green had not started celebrating I wouldn’t have known it went in” he said.

Cole is the lead assistant to PGA Professional Scott Davenport at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

He qualified for the national championship through the Carolinas PGA Section. It was the third time he has played in the event.

“Playing here before I knew how the course set up and how to play some of the holes. It helped me this week,” he said.

Cole would have had another appearance at the national championship, but missed one tournament because of his wedding.

At the championship this year, Cole was on what he referred to as a “business trip”.

“My wife Grace stayed in Charlotte with our two month old daughter, Jane. Since I was by myself I was able to spend a little extra time on the range and I found something practicing after the third round on Saturday<” he said.

The extra practice gave Cole a little more confidence in his driver and putter going into the final round.

Cole had been on or around the lead in each round. Going into the last 18 holes he was tied with Mike Bello from the NY (Met) section.

Even with the extra practice and confidence he brought to the final round, Cole struggled around the turn and lost his share of the lead.

“On nine, ten and eleven I made a couple of bogeys with a three putt and a some bad shots and I told myself if I was going to do anything I had to get it going,” he said.

Cole finished off his last six holes at 5 under par capped by the hole-out eagle on 18. He shot a 13-under par 275 total for a three shot victory.

Cole played high school golf at Riverside before going to Furman and his family has been members at Thornblade.

At Furman, Cole was an All-SoCon performer and an academic All-American.
He was a sophomore when Furman tried to end the mens golf program.

“Things happened pretty fast. Some of us were trying to decide if we needed to transfer to find a place to keep playing or stick around and see what happened, “ Cole remembered.

The ill fated attempt to end the program brought the Paladin golf alumni together to fully fund the program and Cole and the others were able to continue their college careers as Paladins.

After graduating Cole moved to Charlotte and began playing professionally.

“I played a few years and had some status on the PGA Latina Tours, mostly mini tours and Monday qualifiers,” he recalled.

When the Covid pandemic hit Cole decided he didn’t need to be traveling to Ecuador to play and found a different way to stay in the game.

“I had been helping out Scott (Davenport) and when a job came open at Quail Hollow I was fortunate to get hired,” he said.

Davenport helped Cole make the change from being a professional golfer to a golf professional.

Quail Hollow Club has hosted the Wells Fargo championship, a PGA Championship and President’s Cup.

“Scott and our members all love the game just like I do. Love of the game bonds everyone here,” he said.

Being at one of the top clubs in the country has afforded Cole the opportunity to keep playing in PGA events.

“ I cant tell you how fortunate I am to be at a club that encourages us to play competitively. I’ve received so much support from our members,” he said.

In addition to the prize money and a Rolex, Cole also gets an exemption to play at the PGA Club Professional championships next year.

Looking back on his last shot and remembering his reaction was a combination of relief and celebration.

“My game had been good, but I had not pulled out a win so playing on a big stage and winning felt pretty good and something I’ll remember for a long time,” concluded Cole.